


we're right beside you (take my hand)

by joyivos



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Adora (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Angst, Canon Compliant, F/F, F/M, Hurt Adora (She-Ra), Hurt No Comfort, Not Beta Read, POV Adora (She-Ra), Season 5 Spoilers, i haven't slept i'm so sorry, this could've been a lot better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:55:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24214036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joyivos/pseuds/joyivos
Summary: something feels wrong. for one thing, when was the last time that she was allowed to be this happy?
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Kudos: 101





	we're right beside you (take my hand)

**Author's Note:**

> hello! i literally haven't read over this and this is kind of just concepts that i thought about on my twitter (@siriusiybro). literally head empty, only catradora. s5 spoilers, takes place during heart, part ii.

Adora hadn’t realized how much she missed Brightmoon.

Of course, it was weird living there at first — going from the cold atmosphere of the Fright Zone to the cheery one of Brightmoon was an adjustment. But after they had been forced to retreat, after they’ve been hiding out for so long, after they’d snuck onto Horde Prime’s ship, it was a comfort to be in the vicinity again.

Even if she was confused on why, exactly, she was there.

The familiar waterfalls rushed, and Adora looked at her reflection. Her hair was longer, and down, with a crown on her head. The white dress and cape she wore reflected She-Ra, and no matter how comforted she was by the warm feeling of home, she still felt out of place. Didn’t she have something important to do? But before she was able to ponder her thoughts any longer, the door creaked open, and Glimmer’s joyful voice filled the room.

“Just let me brush it!” Glimmer exclaimed, holding the brush and chasing after Catra. Adora stared at Glimmer, who looked different than than the last time she saw her. More mature, older, and the undercut looked good on her. She wore a dress and looked stunning, nothing like the exhausted Glimmer she saw last. The one who was tired of war, tired of having to rule a kingdom at such a young age, and tired of the seemingly endless war. 

But as stunning as Glimmer looked, Adora’s eyes were drawn to Catra. Her heart fluttered at the sight; Catra had been getting along with Bow and Glimmer, but this, this was pure joy. They were happy, teasing each other, and much like Glimmer, she looked like she had no worries. Her hair was grown out much longer, and she noted that Catra was wearing her belt piece. Not to mention the white and gold jacket Catra was holding, and a part of her wondered if they were something more.

But none of that was voiced. “No!” Catra yelled, and Glimmer laughed, not one worry on her shoulder. They circled around Adora, and she felt her heart fill with warmth. As happy as this was, though, there was something that seemed off. She was still missing something crucial. 

“Don’t let her touch me, she’s going to torture me!” Every lingering touch that Catra left on her was electric. She could feel Catra’s hands on her, the warmth of them, the ease in the air, yet Adora couldn’t help but doubt. When do things as good as  _ this _ happen to her? When are things ever this good?

“Do you always have to be this dramatic?” Glimmer asked, leaning forward. Before Catra could respond, Bow walked in.

“C’mon guys, if we’re late to Scorpia’s first ball, she’s gonna kill us.” Bow stated, and Adora’s found that her mind still seemed fuzzy. First ball? She couldn’t remember anything about that, but everyone was getting along well. Glimmer leaned into Bow’s shoulder, and like they’d done this a million times before, Bow wrapped his arm around her. Adora didn’t miss the fond look that Bow shot Glimmer.

“Fine! You’re off the hook.  _ This time _ .” Catra stook her tongue out at Glimmer, and Adora resisted the urge to smile. Everything about this filled her with love. The way that Catra was able to touch her so easily, the way that everyone interacted with each other, the knowledge that her other friends were doing okay, and the way her pining friends seemed to finally get together. This was everything she wanted. Everything she  _ ever _ wanted. It felt too good to be true.

As Glimmer and Bow started walking out, Catra left Adora’s side to follow them, only to turn around and face her. “You coming?” With her hand held out, Adora couldn’t help but be lost for words. She’s only ever heard Catra speak so tenderly a handful of times, and she couldn’t help but be thrown back into the other few times she’d reached out for Catra.

She loved Catra.

Adora’s known this since she was young, although never pegged it down to be romantic. She refused to acknowledge it, and the longer the war lasted, the less she wanted to. She finally has Catra back in her life. Things were looking up for them, if she excluded all the near-death experiences she had. And when Catra spoke so tenderly, so lovingly, how could she possibly exist?

Adora finally let herself relax and reach out for Catra, but the moment their hands were supposed to touch, everything glitched. She couldn’t stop staring at the hand as it changed, and once again, she was reminded of how out of reach Catra had been.

She remembers now.

It was foolish of her to let herself hope, but she couldn’t resist. This was her reality, now that she failed. She wasn’t with her friends, because within a bit, they’d all be dead. She failed. All she wanted was their happiness. She failed. All she wanted was for this war to be over, for everyone to get along. She failed. 

When Adora first picked up the sword, she thought that she was finally choosing her own destiny. Choosing her own path. She was loved by the people of Etheria for saving them, she was loved by Bow and Glimmer and Queen Angella, but before them, all she had was Shadow Weaver and Catra. And no matter how much she loved Catra, she couldn’t help but seek Shadow Weaver’s affection and praise.

She did everything to be perfect. After she became Catra, she was still doing everything to be perfect. Because now, she was a hero, and now, lives were in her hands. She couldn’t even become She-Ra anymore, she didn’t know how to bring her out. She was so close. So close to saving Etheria. 

She failed.

The scene from earlier repeats in her mind as her surroundings change. She thinks about Catra. Her smile, her laughter, her hand. She thinks about Glimmer, and her strong friendship with Catra and the love she felt for Bow. She thinks about Bow, who looked at Glimmer like she hung the stars and his loyalty to the ones he loved. She thinks about Scorpia, who was throwing her first ball and finally accepted herself as a princess and grew beyond the Fright Zone. She thinks of all the other princesses too and how much they cared for all their friends. She thinks of everyone she’s met, and how she was letting them all down.

What would’ve happened if she made it in time? She probably wouldn’t have been able to transform into She-Ra, but she would’ve done it. Made them strong enough to defeat Horde Prime and save Etheria. A part of her thinks back to Mara’s words. “You’re worth more than what you can give to other people. You deserve love, too.” 

She thinks about how that was the first time she realized that she deserved love. She thinks about how selfless she has been. She thinks about how she wanted nothing more than to make her friends happy. She knows they’d be sad if she managed to do it but end up dying, but a part of her couldn’t help but wonder if they’d forget.

It was a bad path to head down.

But she also wondered, wondered what if she was the last person alive. Would all her thoughts be like this now? Would all her thoughts be a mixture of memories and fantasy? Would she hurt so much that she’d lose her mind and not be able to tell what’s what? This war would scar no matter what happened. She could only hope that all her friends would make it out alive.

“A beautiful wish.”


End file.
